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Types of Pledges
Pledges are divided into the following three categories: Vows, oaths and corporals. The type of pledge determines how the pledge is invested. Normally, the typical pledge (which is a vow) is invested into the Wyrd of the changelings involved. A changeling may have a maximum number of such vows invested equal to his Wyrd rating +3. This is the not the full limit of the changeling's pledges, however; other kinds of pledges may be invested into other aspects of the changeling, from his true name to his connections to mortals and the fae. Vows A vow is the most basic sort of pledge-craft. The changeling simply swears to accomplish some goal or fulfill some task, outlining what is expected of the other, their rewards for adhering to their pledges and the curses they can expect for failing to do so. A vow is invested into the changeling's Wyrd. Oaths An oath involves not simply the declaration of an intention to perform some duty, but the pledge is sworn by one's true name, on the name of one's former True Fae captor (if known) or in the name of a higher power the changeling believes in. Failure to adhere to this oath results in an additional penalty, levied by the Wyrd, based on the nature of the oath. Oaths are actually invested in the names the oath is sworn on; see below for specifics. No name (whether personal name, Keeper's name or the name of a higher power) can bear more than one oath for any given changeling. Non-changelings do not receive any additional penalties when forswearing an oath; the pledge is bound to the name sworn on by the changeling parties only. True Name (Obscured) This oath assumes that the changeling still has a fetch that also answers to his name. Swearing an oath on his true name, the changeling invests the power of that pledge into his very name, rather than his Wyrd. Though the changeling's true name is shared by another, the changeling still has the right to swear oaths by it. Unfortunately, if he breaks this oath, he proves himself unworthy of that name in the eyes of the Wyrd, which strikes him with weakness the next time he encounters his fetch. He loses any and all resistance to the fetch's Echoes, and his Defense drops to 0 for the length of the encounter. He also receives a dice pool penalty equal to his Wyrd for the length of the encounter. These limitations last for one scene, and are activated the next time he encounters his fetch in person. The fetch automatically senses the weakness in the wayward, and knows that his chances to strike are at their best in that moment. True Name (Unsullied) The changeling with no fetch must honor his true name above all, for it is tightly bound up now in his Wyrd and honor. Such an oath is invested into his true name, rather than his Wyrd. However, the failure to adhere to an oath sworn on a rightfully recovered true name jangles the threads of fate that tie to that name. In a sudden discordant moment, his Wyrd shatters all Wyrd-invested pledges he currently maintains, and he is penalized as though he'd voluntarily broken all of those pledges. Those who share in those pledges with him are instantly aware that he has violated an oath on his true name, and are likely to be wary dealing with him in the future -- it is a grievous thing to falsify one's own name. The Name of the Keeper Rather than investing a pledge into his Wyrd or his own name, a changeling may invest the name of his Keeper with an oath -- or rather, he may invest the connection between himself and his former Keeper with the oath. Swearing an oath in the name of one's former True Fae captor is a dangerous thing. In Arcadia, changelings who swear this oath understand that if they fail to live up to their end, their master will force them to do so, at the ends of a Thorn lash, if necessary. Those changelings who gain their freedom run an even greater risk swearing by the names of their former Keepers, however; violating this oath sends an immediate chord of resonance through the Wyrd, passing through the Hedge and into the Fairest of Lands, immediately alerting the changeling's former Keeper to the whereabouts of his erstwhile servitor. The former Keeper gains a die bonus equal to the oathbreaker's Wyrd rating to all rolls that have to do with finding and recovering the changeling. This bonus does not become active immediately; the True Fae may invoke the benefit when he chooses, within the next year and a day, enjoying the bonus for one full scene. Only pledges sworn by changelings may be Name of the Keeper Oaths. The Name of a Higher Power Regardless of what the changeling calls the Divine, he swears an oath by it and his belief in it, investing his honor with his belief. Though this may be the name of a deity or other culturally appropriate spiritual name (such as that of a spirit, ancestor or tradition), the changeling may also simply name a concept or virtue that he upholds and considers important: Honor, Faith, Justice. Such an oath is literally sworn in the name of the changeling's faith and belief, investing the pledge into that aspect of his soul, rather than his Wyrd or name. Should this oath be broken, the changeling is immediately filled with a tremendous sense of despair, losing all current Willpower points. In addition, the next time he must make a roll to avoid losing Clarity, he receives a one-die penalty to this roll -- the Fae believe in nothing and faith is a mark of mortals. The spurning of mortal faith is a trademark of the Others, and can endanger Clarity. Corporal A pledge sworn with a corporal involves at least one of the parties swearing on a physical symbol of some association. It might be the token of rulership carried by his freehold lord, a token that represents his affiliation with his motley. Ultimately, this can be sworn for any association the changeling bears. These corporals come in one of five varieties: Mortal emblems, seeming emblems, courtly emblems, title emblems and nemesis emblems. As with oaths, the primary use of corporals is in the investment of a pledge into something other than the changeling's Wyrd. Non-changelings do not receive any additional penalties when forswearing a corporal; the pledge is bound to the emblem sworn on by the changeling parties only. At any given time, a changeling may have only one of each kind of corporal active and invested. Mortal Emblem The symbols of mortal associations are precious things to changelings. These are, in many ways, tangible representations of the changeling's longing to be human again. Others may consider them silly or frivolous, but they are certainly not. Mortal corporals can be nearly anything: A holy text (representing membership in a church or religious community), the lease for his apartment, a membership card for a nightclub, video rental place, country club or gym or some other similar distinctly mortal establishment. It must be something that he attends or frequents entirely out of mortal interest -- the nightclub owned by a local member of the freehold does not qualify. Rather than investing the pledge into his Wyrd or name, the changeling may invest it into his connections with the mortal world. The most powerful emblems are those representing family ties, but few Lost are brave enough to swear on something as precious as a wedding ring, given the risks. Should he break this corporal pledge, his Wyrd lashes out and works to separate him from the establishment or community. Within the next few days, events fall into place that cause him to be ejected or excluded from the organization. The video rental place closes his account, recording him as owing several hundred dollars, and the system won't allow him to open another even if he pays it. His landlord finds him in violation of an obscure part of his lease, and ejects him. The preacher from his Bible study group approaches him and suggests that he might be better served with another congregation. For anyone else, this kind of separation is of little import. But the changeling -- who invested the power of his Wyrd in his membership there -- can only watch as another connection to his lost humanity crumbles away, leaving him a stranger among mortals. This necessitates a roll to resist losing Clarity; this is a roll made with four dice, regardless of the changeling's Clarity. This roll receives a -2 dice penalty if the corporal was broken as part of the changeling's life among the fae, rather than his mortal life: Sacrificing mortal concerns in favor of fae ones is a sure path to loss of Clarity. If this pledge was broken fulfilling a Virtue, the changeling's player gains a +2 bonus to this roll; if the pledge was broken fulfilling a Vice, the roll receives a –2 dice penalty. Generally, the changeling may only have one mortal corporal active at any given time. However, if the changeling possesses a Merit such as Allies, Contacts, Resources or Status that reflects the mortal institution she is pledging by, she may elect to invest that Merit with the power of this corporal. She may select to do this only once per Merit (or once per dot in Contacts, as appropriate). Thus, the changeling has the potential to swear a mortal corporal once for each appropriate Merit, plus the "free" such slot associated with an aspect of her mortal life not associated with a Merit. Should the changeling break a pledge bound into a Merit, she not only suffers the possibility of losing Clarity, as above, but also loses the Merit entirely (or the dot in Contacts, as appropriate). Seeming Emblem The changeling who swears on a seeming corporal swears on something symbolic to himself and his existence as a changeling, swearing an oath on his own nature. Woe to the changeling who breaks such an oath: It is tantamount to forswearing his very fae nature. Such an oathbreaker loses a point of Wyrd immediately. Generally, both parties of a seeming pledge swear on their own emblems, if they are both fae. Changelings with Wyrd 1 cannot swear this particular pledge, as they cannot invest enough of themselves into the corporal. Courtly Emblem The changeling who swears on a courtly emblem swears on something symbolic of his association with one of the changeling Courts, investing the power of the pledge in either his Mantle Merit when swearing by his own Court or his Court Goodwill Merit, when swearing by a Court to which he is aligned. (Lack of the appropriate Mantle or Merit precludes this pledge.) Violating this pledge causes the changeling to immediately lose all his dots in Court Goodwill, or reduces his Mantle rating in half. For the next moon, members of that Court who encounter the oathbreaker immediately sense he has broken faith with that Court, and treat him accordingly. Title Emblem A title emblem is invested into a changeling's entitlement, imbuing his connection with others of his entitlements with the power of the pledge. Violating this pledge causes the changeling to immediately lose the benefits of this entitlement, and sends a ripple of Wyrd through those of his entitlement he meets, marking him as an oathbreaker and betrayer of his entitlement. The mechanical benefits of his entitlement return when he gains a point of Wyrd, but the esteem of his fellow changelings is broken; traditionally, the entitlement peerage has the right to give the oathbreaker a task to perform -- one that upholds the ideals of the entitlement and returns him to their good graces. Such tasks are given out rarely, and never lightly. To offer an oathbreaker amnesty is to suggest that one has less respect for the creed of the entitlement as well. Nemesis Pledge Swearing on the emblem of another changeling, however, binds that changeling as a punisher to the pledge; this role is referred to as the "nemesis" of the pledge, and the would-be nemesis must agree to this role. When the nemesis emblem is sworn, the changeling who has agreed to fulfill this function uses a Contract or other ability. The oathbreaker suffers the effects of that power, without resistance, per the pishogue sanction of a power equal to the task, below. In addition, the nemesis becomes immediately aware which party has broken the oath.